Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-03
State AFFAIRS.
The Bill to Extend the Time for the
Forced Collection Of Taxes in
Texas Passes The House.
The Senate by Vote OF TO % Vim
dica;eS Judge WsIl5s-HoW the
Result Was Received.
The Report of the Special Committee to
Investigate the Lunaric ssyIUm-Bad
Rumors Not Disproyed.
Special to the Gazette.

JUDGE WILLIS ACQUITTED.
AUSTIN, TEX, April 2-When the reso-
luton came up in the Senate this morning
to address Judge Willis out of office the
lobby was filed with spectators and an
air of expectancy was visible, both inside
and outside of the bar of the chamber.
When the resolution had been read Sena-
tor Houston arose and made s. plea in
/ behalf Of the respondent, and said from
! his knowledge OF the man ana the circum-
! stances surrounding the case he was I'M
willing to cast his vote in favor of the
resolution. The vote was then tSken and
stood for and % against the resolution.
| Taking into consideration the action of
| the House special committee, the House
Itself ana the Senate special committee
on the case, the vote of the Senate was
contrary to general expectation.
FORCED COLLECTION OF TAXES.
/ The bill 10 exte-d the time for
| the forced sale of real and personal
property for the taxes due for the year
| 1886, passed the House this morning. The
/ provisions of the bill extend the time
until August l, 1897, and the bill is gen.
eral in its application.
AUSTIN LUNATIC ASYLUM.
/
the charges Of improper practices at the
Austin Lunatic Asylum reported as fol-
lows: We. your committee appointed to
. investigate the condition of the female
! inmates of the Austin Lunatic
Asylum, beg leave to submit the
following report: After g thorough in
vestigation Of the records and
witnesses we find that the following pa
tients have given birth to children while
being inmates of the asylum, tO-wit:
Miss Bsnkhesd of Walker county Wss
received into the asylum November y,
1885, and died July 10, 1886. Evidence
shows inst she gave birth to child July
+, 1886
Mrs. Maggie Lee, received December
%, 1888, gave birth to a child August Is,
1884
Mrs. Rundsicher was received in April,
1885. TIE records show no birth, but
evidence establishes that she gave birth
to child while patient.
Mrs Stevens was received August 10,
1881. Evidence shows that Mrs.
Stevens gave birth to 8 child, but
the records are silent as to the date OF the
birth.
Mr.. Gerdis of Galveston was received
December I, 1884, furlOughed March 16,
1885, returned April 81, 1885 and died
November %, 1885, of disease of the kid
neys. This the records show, but the
evidence in the case shows that she was
supposed TO be pregnant before she left
the asylum for her home in Galveston, and |
it is rumored that she gave birth to a
child on the cars.
Careful examination of the records Of /
the lunatic asylum and evidence from |
numerous witnesses show that while |
there have been numerous births amor q /
the patients at the asylum, we do no5 |
find that conception had taken /
place there, except in the case of q negro |
woman who is now in an advanced state !
of pregnancy, unless it is in such cases
where the records are silent, as above |
stated. 1t is alleged that two or three |
attendants or employees were discharged; |
one because she had been assaulted by a
male employe with carnal intent, and re-
porting the same to the Superintendent,
she was afterward discharged therefor. |
According to evidence, one other was dis
charged because she knew too much |
about the illicit conduct of the officers
and employees. No cause for her discharge
was made known to her. We find, &C
cOrding to evidence, that there has been
criminal intercourse between some of the
officers snd employees, several female
employees having left tie asylum to give
birth to their children. The evidence
does not show that the former superin-
tendent used proper efforts to suppress
the existing evil, though we find that no
charge has been alleged against him per-
sOnally as having participated in said
evil. The present administration is evil
denty endeaYOring to remedy the evil
heretofore existing. Disciplinary rules
are rlgidiy enforced, and your committee
is satisfied that the asylum will be purged
of all improper conduct as far as possible.
Your committee respectfully recommends
the following:
l. That the superintendent be required
TO purge the asylum Of all Objectionable
characters, and ia employing others to
investigate their records as to
character, integrity, etc.
2. That ward attendants have better
salaries for their services.
3. That the Friday night dances be con-
fined to the inmates and employees of the
asylum, and if visitors are admitted, it
must be on q written permit from the
superintendent.
+. That we, as your committee, regrets
exceedingly the necessity for the investi-
CATION which we have been called upon
to make, and while we have discovered
much to destroy the confidence Of the
people in one of our public institutions,
we feel warranted in saying that we
fully believe the spirit of reform
has Oeen inauguratea, and will be
carried out and public confidence re-
stored. We desire the people to give the
present management q fair trial and en-
enlargement, and We believe those VINO
have unfortunate ones to send there may
rest assured that they will be protected
and properly cared for. All of which is
respectfully submitted.
j. RAs JONES,
SAM Fl. HARGIs, T.
NJ V. GARNER, /,
Committee.